State Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright, D-Muskegon, (at the podium) and Muskegon County Republican Party Chairwoman Christina Achterhoff talk about the statewide ballot proposals Tuesday in front of an audience of about 50 at the Village at Park Terrace.Eric Gaertner | MLive

MUSKEGON, MI – A Muskegon senior citizen admitted at the end of a public forum Tuesday about the six statewide ballot proposals that she would have inadvertently voted against allowing the proposed Detroit international bridge to go forward even though she supports the project.

After hearing information and opinions shared by State Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright, D-Muskegon, and Muskegon County Republican Party Chairwoman Christina Achterhoff, the woman said the ballot language had her confused, but she now will vote no on Proposal 6 so the Gov. Rick Snyder-backed project can be constructed.

That, in an essence, was the purpose of the informational forum about the Michigan ballot issues at the Village at Park Terrace. The forum, open to the public, drew about 50 people, mainly senior citizens.

Hovey-Wright and Achterhoff went over each ballot proposal, what it would do, the talking points of the supporters and opponents and their personal opinions. They agreed on some aspects and disagreed on others. Hovey-Wright also distributed a guide compiled by her office staff that explains the ballot proposals.

One of the issues they agreed on was Proposal 6, the ballot issue supported by Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel "Matty" Moroun. Hovey-Wright and Achterhoff said they support the building of a second bridge between Southeast Michigan and Canada, so they encourage a no vote on the proposal.

Based on the ballot language, Proposal 6, if approved, would require approval of any new international bridges or tunnels by a statewide vote. Supporters of the project contend that a second bridge is needed for international trade with Canada and that Canada is paying Michigan’s portion of the upfront cost to be reimbursed through tolls.

Hovey-Wright said the need for the bridge is significant and that several groups, including the auto industry, chambers of commerce and some unions, support the project. She criticized Moroun for allegedly putting out misinformation in TV advertisements in an attempt to sway voters.

“There’s just a lot of misinformation out there,” Hovey-Wright said. “There’s a reason we shouldn’t have private ownership of critical bridges and it is Matty Moroun.”

Marcia Hovey-Wright

Achterhoff said she will vote no on Proposal 6, because a new international crossing is needed to foster trade for Michigan businesses and to help alleviate some of the traffic delays that can occur on the Ambassador Bridge.

“I would strongly vote no,” Achterhoff said.

One of the issues that Achterhoff and Hovey-Wright disagreed on was Proposal 1, the referendum on the most recent version of the state’s Emergency Manager law.

Supporters of the proposal, urging a yes vote, say the tools in the Emergency Manager law allow the state to intervene and provide tools to help cities and school districts in emergency financial situations. Opponents, urging a no vote, say the 2011 law goes too far, taking away local control and giving the manager too much power to break union contracts.

The law was used for Muskegon Heights Public Schools, placing an emergency manager in control of the district and eventually allowing for a charter company to manage the school district in its place.

Achterhoff said she is voting yes, because the Emergency Manager law allows the governor, only in emergency situations, to step in when a school district or city hasn’t managed its money well.

“I personally agree with the governor on this,” Achterhoff said. “Most of our school districts in our state run smoothly and run well. Our governor only stepped in when it went very, very bad.”

Hovey-Wright, who was critical of the new law when it was used in Muskegon Heights, said she is voting no on Proposal 1. She believes the two main problems with the new version of the Emergency Manager law are the authority given to the manager to basically disregard the elected school board and the ability to eliminate union contracts.

Christina Achterhoff

“I feel it’s a travesty of justice, basically,” Hovey-Wright said. “Like in Muskegon Heights schools, he (the emergency manager) answers to no one but the governor.”

The women shared their stances on the other ballot proposals as well. Here are those:

• Proposal 2, amend the state Constitution to include the right to organize and bargain collectively through labor unions: Hovey-Wright, yes; Achterhoff, no;

• Proposal 5, amend the state Constitution to limit the enactment of new taxes by state government by requiring a two-thirds majority vote of the state House and Senate: Hovey-Wright, no; Achterhoff, no.